How Do I Collect and Store Pollen

NeDank

Active member

• Aug 24, 2018

• #1

I read this one thread that said to wait on till the balls start opening then cut the top off about 6 to 8 inches and stick it into a cup of water through a piece of tin foil for the pollen to fall on. But other than that I really haven't done this before so any advise would be helpful. Also wondering how to dry and store pollen as I have 4 males in flower as we speak.

 

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?

• Aug 24, 2018

• #2

I was gonna try what newguy says in https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=243320 and just cut off a larger top and leave it in a glass over some dark paper. Something like that was recommended to me in another thread as well.

 

G

grayeyes

Active member

• Mar 30, 2019

• #3

A grower of considerable fame mentioned using a bottle top glued to a chopstick to slide under and knock the balls getting ready to let go into the bottle cap. I know it works but I am not that patient.

I waited for them to start letting go and beat the tops while holding a glass cup underneath. It looks like it worked as I am seeing seeds forming on the buds I pollinated.

 

MJPassion

Observer

ICMag Donor

Veteran

• Mar 31, 2019

• #4

You use the search function and use any one of the many many methods that have been described over the last few months.
This is probably the most asked question in the breeders forum.
https://www.icmag.com/modules/Find_Threads/index.php?stext=pollen

 

Skunkenstein

Active member

• Apr 4, 2019

• #5

Just find a mirror or a clean sheet of glass...shake Pollen onto glass..leave pollen on glass for several days, until fully dried..then gently scrape pollen into a light/moisture proof container. Refrigerate, but make sure container is completely protected from moisture...it will deactivate the pollen and turn to Mold. Dry refrigerated pollen is viable for several months..in my experience.

 

S

St. Phatty

Active member

• Apr 4, 2019

• #6

In the past I've made a grow box, maybe 12 inches wide, 9 inches high, 3 feet long.

With a heavy duty aluminum foil liner.

I make a box shape with the foil. The plant sits in that & catches the rays.

Most of the pollen falls on the foil and can be sort of scooped up using dry toilet paper.

 

G

GatorGumbo

• Apr 4, 2019

• #7

I bend them and tie them down over aluminium foil catch "trays". They pop right over it and I can shape the foil into a valley and pour the pollen into a small jar. I use a dedicated space for the procedure, and I don't use UV or let humidity get too high since it can sterilize the pollen spores. Let dry for 12-24 hours, mix with some flour if you want to dilute it (not a bad idea), put in bottle or jar. You can use a small paintbrush to pollinate certain areas, but it still gets around more than you'd probably mean for it to. I've never pollinated just a bud or two and didn't have a seed or two extra come out somewhere else. Pollen can be a phantom like that.

Pollen collection for me is pretty much just like a quarantine for a plant. I use a small tent about 2x3x5 dedicated for pollen males, and I clean it with alcohol and UV light to kill any uncollected pollen I don't want throwing a wrench in the gears down the road.

 

Bud Green

I dig dirt

Veteran

• Apr 4, 2019

• #8

Skunkenstein said:

Just find a mirror or a clean sheet of glass...shake Pollen onto glass..leave pollen on glass for several days, until fully dried..then gently scrape pollen into a light/moisture proof container. Refrigerate, but make sure container is completely protected from moisture...it will deactivate the pollen and turn to Mold. Dry refrigerated pollen is viable for several months..in my experience.

Click to expand...

What he said!
collect it on glass. gently blow away the green flower pods..

Be sure to wait until all the tiny, tiny pollen bugs go away before you scrape the pollen up with a razor blade or a slick new playing card..

Store in paper bindles in a tupperware container filled with rice..
Place in refrigerator or freezer...

Be sure to label which male it came from!

 

S

Spinme

Member

• Apr 4, 2019

• #9

When you find your male wait until clusters start to open then remove top and place in water leaned over a plane of glass . Once popped screen out plant debris and place in a test tube with some anhydrous magnesium sulphate obtained by first microwaving Epsom salt for ten minuits then baking for 2 hours at 450.
Once pollen and Ms are inside test tube seal the end in wax after test tube lid has been placed like a good bottle of schwill.
Will stay frozen for a great while longer than most other storage methods

 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training

• Apr 4, 2019

• #10

Use any of the collection methods described.
Personally, I pick off the flowers which are about to open each day. When there are 10 or more to pick off, and the branch is loaded with many more flowers, I cut it and put it in a cupboard for collection.

Once the pollen has dropped, I let it dry for a few days. I use rice baked at 180F till it's dry, then cool it and seal it in a container with the pollen. It will bring the moisture of the pollen down below where silica desiccants will.

Your choice if you want to mix it 50 or 100 to 1 with toasted flour. I use about 50 to 1, so I'm not wasting any pollen. If you can "see" a bit of pollen, you're actually looking at hundreds of pollen grains and dropping it on a couple pistils wastes quite a bit.

I included the instructions at the end of the DIY STS tutorial.